Internal-combustion engine.



l. G. NICKS.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATIONVFILED JAN-22, I916- 1 ,21 4,857, Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

[8 fgyVzb/w.

awww

m: mum's PETERS cow. Iuomurmz. WASHINGYUN, u c.

l. G. NICKS.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-22,1916- 1,214,35?. Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

IRA G. NICKS, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Application filed January 2 1916. Serial No. 73,675.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA G. NIGKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful limprovements in Internal- Combustion Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

lhis invention relates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to engines of the multiple piston four-cycle type. The invention has for its primary object to provide an improved internal combustion engine including a hollow double piston in one end of which is rotatably mounted a fuel and exhaust controlling valve reciprocable with the piston and connected with the crank shaft of the engine.

Another object is the provision of an internal combustion engine including a cylinder having two combustion chambers in which is reciprocably mounted a double piston, he relatively large end of which is connected at diametrically opposed points with the crank shaft of the engine.

Another object is the provision of a novel type of driving connection between the crank shaft and rotary valve so constructed as to permit longitudinal movement of the valve with the piston.

Another object is the provision. of an in ternal combustion engine embodying a circular plate supported internally of the relativel y large end of the hollow piston to provide a compression chamber communicating with the intake ports of the rotary valve and in which the gaseous fuel for the engine is compressed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will be hereinafter specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a fragmental longitudinal sectional view through the improved engine partly broken away. Fig. 2 represents a transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 represents a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. i represents a longitudinal sectional view through the valve and portions of the piston and cylinder, in the plane of Fig. 1, illustrating the valve turned half revolution with relation to its position as illust"ated in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 indicates generally the cylinder of the engine, which includes the relatively small and large upper and lower portions (3 7, respectively. T he cylinder 5 intermediate the relatively large and small. portions thereof is bulged, as indicated at S, to provide an internal explosion chamber 9, and the head 10 of the cylinder is also enlarged to define a combustion chamber 11. A double piston is slidably mounted within the cylinder and includes relatively small and large upper and lower portions 12 and 13, respectii ly, wnich are connected by the annular portion 1% defining a shoulder upon which is delivered the force of the explosions in the lower or relatively large combustion chamber 9. The double piston is of hollow formation and is provided adjacent its lower or relatively large free end with a pair of diametrically opposed laterally projecting pins 16.

The crank shaft 17 is rotatably supported in suitable bearings (not shown) below the cylinder-5 and is provided with the usual crank pins '18, which are connected with the diametrically opposed pins 16 of the piston by the connecting rods 1.9. I

.i supporting plate 20 suitably suppor s ed above the crank shaft 17 intermediate the connecting rods 19 and is provided with a pair of depending bearings ll supporting the crank shaft 1.? intermediate the crank pins 18. A plurality of uprights 22 are secured in vertical position upon the plate 20 and are rigidly secured at their upper extremities to a circular plate 23 snugly and slidably received within the relatively large end 13 of the double piston. The plate 23 is formed with an aperture 2st connected with a fuel. supply pipe 25 and in which is arranged an outwardly closing valve 26, normall y retained in closed position by a spring '27 and designed to check the egress of gaseous fuel from the compression chamber 28 between the annular shoulder 1.4L and the circular plate 23.

A cylindrical valve designated generally by the nui'neral 29, is snugly and rotatably ice fitted in the relatively small end 12 of the piston and 's secured against longitudinal I'IIUYGHIGHT; therein by screw 30 or other suitable means. The upper extremity of a vertically disposed shaft 31 is non-rotatably secured centrally within the lower extremity of the rotary valve 29 and the lower portion of said shaft is squared and slidably and non-rotatably fitted in a correspondingly shaped sleeve The sleeve 32 terminates in spaced relation above the crank shaft 17 and is secured at its lower extrem ity to a beveled gear ,wheel 33, which meshes with a beveled gear wheel 8st keyed upon the crank shaft 17, whereby rotar T inotion is imparted from said crank through the beveled gear wheels 84: and 33, sleeve 32 and shaft 31 to the rotary valve 29, during reciprocation of the piston within the cylinder.

The valve 29 is formed with an angular fuel passage 36communicating at its lower extremity with the compression chamber 28 and terminating in spaced relation to the upper extremity of the valve. During rotation of the valve 29 the upper extremity of the port or passage 36 is moved into registration with an aperture 37 formed adjacent the upper closed end of the relatively small portion 12 of the piston. The aperture 37 reciprocates overa groove 38 formed in the inner surface of the relatively small end 6 of the cylinder and is adapted, when the upper'extremity of the passage or port 36 is moved into registration with the opening 37 to admit fuel to the combustion chamber 11 as the piston moves upwardly in the cylinder. As the piston moves over the upper extremity of the groove 38 the aperture 37 is closed by contact with the cylinder wall and thus the combustion chamber 11 is sealed so as to prevent leakage of the ex plosive. An exhaust port lO for both comis adapted to bustion chambers 9 and 11 is formed in the reduced or relatively small portion 6 of the cylinder wall adjacent the annular shoulder 8 and is adapted to register with the port 40 formed in the relathiely small portion 12 of the piston during reciprocation of the latter. The upper portion of the rotary valve 29 is formed with an angular exhaust port 41 for the upper combustion chamber 11, and, during rotation of the valve is adapted to simultaneously register with the longitudinal groove 38 and the ports 40 and 4:0 so as to permit the products of combustion to exhaust from the upper chamber 11.

A second and relatively short intake passage 4H is formed in the valve 29 below the exhaust passage or port ll for the upper chamber 11 and the upper extremity thereof register with the port L5 formed adjacent the longitudinal center of thereducedor relatively small portion 12 of the piston, during rotation of the valve so as shaft to conduct gaseous fuel from the compres sion chamber 28 to the explosion chamber 9 of the lower or relatively large portion 7 of the cylinder. An exhaust port 46 for the lowerconibustion chamber 9 is formed in the valve 29 in diametrically opposed relation to the intake port or passage 44 and is adapted, during rotation of the Valve, to communi cate the port as with the ports 40 and 40 s0 as to permit of the escape of the products of combustion from. the. chamber 9 subsequent to an explosion therein.

The difference in size of the bevel gear wheels 33 and 3st is such that the valve 29. is given one complete revolution to tworevolutions of the crank shaft 17 r The relatively small portion 6; out the cylinder is formed with oil pipes 50 and adapted to register with apertures 51 formed in the relatively small end 12 of the piston to: permit distribution of a suitable lubricant over the bearing surfaces of the cylinder, piston and rotary valve. The valve 29 is formed with a circumferential groove 52 registering with the apertures 51 for containing oil.

In use, the fuel supply piper25 is connected with a suitable source of gaseous fuel which is drawn into the compression chamber 28 during the up stroke of the piston, and is subsequently compressed during-the subsequent down stroke of said piston. Assuming that the valve 29 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, and rotates in the direction of the arrow illustrated in Fig. 2, the products of combustion are exhausted during the up-stroke of the piston, from the combustion chamber9 through the ports 45, 46, 40 and 40, while the compressed fuel in the chamber 28 is admitted to theupper portion of the upper extremity 6 of the cylinder through the ports 36 aperture 37 and groove 38. As the piston moves upwardly the gaseous fuel admitted to the upper come bustion chamber 11 is compressed and sub scquently ignited by a suitable ignition device (not shown). The force of the explosion in the chamber 11 drives the piston downwardly, imparting rotational movement to the crank shaft 137 through the pins 16 and connecting rods 19 and rotating the valve 29 through the beveled gear wheels 34--33, sleeve 82 and shaft 31; During the subsequent upstroke of the piston the valve 29 is moved into position to register the an,- gular exhaust port {ll with the aperture 37 and groove 38 and the apertures 4.0 and 40 thus permitting the products. of combustion from the inner extremity of the reduced end 6 of the cylinder to escape, and simultaneously registering the outer extremity of the intake port, H. with the port l5 in the reduced extremity 12 of the piston, thus permitting the compressed fuel in the chamber 28 to enter'the chamber 9.

apertures receiving What I claim is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, a valve rotatably mounted in said piston, a crank shaft, connections between said piston and said crank shaft, driving connections between said valve and said crank shaft and relatively stationary supporting means for said driving connections.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having a reduced end, a double piston including relatively large and small portions reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, a valve rotatably mounted in said piston, a crank shaft, extensible driving connections between said valve and said crank shaft and relatively stationary supporting means for said driving connections.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having a reduced end and explosion chambers, a hollow double piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, a crank shaft, connections between the relatively large end of said piston and said crank shaft, a plate snugly fitted within the relatively large end of said piston providing a com pression chamber, and a rotary valve mounted in said piston for connecting said explosion chambers with said compression chamber.

a. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having a reduced end, a double piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, a plate snugly fitted within the relatively large end of said piston, a valve rotatably mounted in the relatively small end of said piston, a crank shaft, driving connections between the relatively large end of said piston and said crank shaft, and driving connections between said crank shaft and said rotatable valve extending through said plate.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston reciprocally mounted in said cylinder, said cylinder having apertures therein, oil pipes communicating with said apertures, aid piston having apertures adapted to be moved into registration with the apertures in said cylinder, and a valve rotatably mounted in said piston having a circumferential oil receiving groove registering with the apertures in said piston.

6. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an internal explosion chamber, a hollow piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, a relatively stationary plate snugly fitting the open end of said piston providing a compression chamber, means for connecting said compression chamber with said explosion chamber, and a fuel pipe connected with said compression chamber.

7. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having one end reduced and internal explosion chambers, a double hollow piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder having the .relatively small end closed and the relatively large end open, a relatively stationary plate snugly fitted in the relatively large open end of said piston providing a compression chamber, and a cylindrical valve rotatably mounted in the relatively small end of said piston and provided with ports adapted to connect said compression chamber with said explosion chambers.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having one end reduced and internal explosion chambers, a double hollow piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder having spaced inlet and exhaust ports therein adapted for connection with said explosion chambers during reciprocation of the piston, the relatively small end of said cylinder having an exhaust port therein adapted to register with one of the ports of said piston, and a valve rotatably mounted in said piston having ports adapted to connect the explosion chambers with the exhaust ports in the piston and cylinder, when the latter are alined, said rotary valve also having angular inlet ports adapted for connection with'said internal explosion chamber.

9. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having one end reduced and provided with an exhaust port, a double hollow piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder having the relatively small end closed and the relatively large end open, a relatively stationary plate fitted in the relatively large end of said piston providing a compression chamber, a fuel pipe connected with said compression chamber, said piston having inlot and exhaust ports therein, said cylinder having internal combustion chambers adapted for connection with the ports in said piston, and a rotary valve rotatably mounted in the relatively small end of said piston having angular inlet ports adapted to connect said compression chamber with said explosion chambers, and exhaust ports adapted to connect said explosion chambers with the exhaust ports in said cylinders.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRA Gr. NICKS.- lVitnesses:

C. E. I-IUMPI-IREY, W. J. STANTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

